Automatic parking meter



p 1943- F. L. MICHAELS 2,329,926

AUTOMATIC PARKING METER Filed Jan. 19, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l J'IIIII'I INVENTOR.

fly! Ill IEmn/Z L.MichaeZ/s.

ATTORNEYS p 1943- F. L. MICHAELS 2,329,926

AUTOMA TIC PARKING METER Filed Jan. 19, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 $6 2 5 xii - INVENTOR. Y Frank L. Mtcha els.

Sept. 21, 1943. Q

Filed Jan. 19, 1940' 25 F. L. MICHAELS AUTOMATIC PARKING METER FranZ L.Miohaels.

73 Sheets-$heet' '3" I INVENTOR.

V ATTORNEYS,

Patented Sept. 21, 1943 "UNI TEID STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC PARKING METER Frank L. Mlchaels, Fort Thomas, Ky.

Application January 19, 1940, Serial No. 314,654 9 Claims. (01. 194-19) The present invention relates to parking meters, particularly to automatic coin-controlled meters, and has for an object the provision of a mechanism of this character that is adapted to receive, in a common coin chute, coins of more than one denomination, to count the monetary value thereof, and in return automatically provide corresponding periods of operation for the regulation of urban parking of automobiles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple means affording rapid conversion of the device from routine daytime parking operation to a different operating arrangement allowing the prepayment of extended or so-called "theater parking, the devicebeing further integrated with said means in order to indicate overtime" parking only at the expiration of any completely prepaid parking term, regardless oi whether said prepaid parking terminvolves fractional, maximum, or multiple-cycle operations of the mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the above described character in compact form adaptable for disposition in a small generally cylindrical case, thus affording a neat and attractive mounting upon a tubular standard at the curbline of city side- I walks where it affords ample visibility for observing the time-indicating means from either the street or the sidewalk.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a parking meter of the class described a single movable member cooperating with a fixed member to accurately register the unexpired remainder of a prepaid parking period and to progressively obliterate the indication of unexpired parking time by a contrasting area indicative of parking violation for overtime parking.

These and other important objects are attained by the means hereinafter described and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevational view of a device of the invention, parts being broken away to disclose the relation of the fixed and movable parts .of the indicator.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the device shown in Fig. l, the casing being cut away on a diameter and disclosing the operating mechanism in full side elevation. I

Fig, 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 looking toward the right of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 looking to the left of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the movable indicator unit.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevational view showing the multiple-coin control mechanism of the invention in fulland dotted lines, in positions which it assumes during operation.

As is best illustrated in Fig. l, the mechanism of the invention is encased in a hollow case or housing 80, which is tapered toward the bottom where it is arranged to be invisibly secured to a tubular upright or standard ll which may be fixed adjacent the-curbline of the street. The lower Portion of case I0 is provided with a key lock controlled door l2 disposed on that side of the casing which faces the sidewalk, and this door is suitably hinged as at I3. Door l2 ailords access to a removable coin receptacle (not shown) which forms no detailed part of the invention.

The ring-like top H of housing ID has an annular groove l 5 in the top edge wall thereof which serves to seat a transparent cylinder l6. Extending vertically upwardly from diametrically opposed sides ,of ring it is a pair of uprights li which receive the transparent cylinder I6 between them. Uprights I? have aligned apertures l8 closely adjacent the top thereof into which a cross-bar I9 is adapted to be inserted at its opposite ends. The cross-bar I9 when in position (see Fig. 4) terminates at approximately the outside faces of said uprights l1. Intermediate the ends of cross-bar I9 is a boss 20 having in its upper portion a screw threaded bore 2 I. A domelike cap or cover 22 has in its bottom a depending portion 23 and an annular groove 24 which seats over the top edge of transparent cylinder l6 and also over the tops of uprights l1, thus concealing the cross-bar. Rotatably mounted in the top of threaded bore 2| in the cross-bar and the lock arm L is in position, it is impossible to dismantle or gain access to the interior of the composite casing just described. It will also be apparent that upon removal of the cap and thereafter the cross-bar l9 the hereinafter described mechanism may be bodily inserted into or lifted from the interior of the casing.

As can be best seen in Fig. 1, means are provided inside the transparent cylinder Hi to provide hemi-cylindrical time-indicating means facing the street and the sidewalk, respectively, these indicating means being separated from one another by the uprights II. The portions of the transparent cylinder I6 thus form curved windows between said uprights l1 and on either side of the housing. Inserted in groove 24 immediately behind the transparent cylinder IS" on the street side is a graduated curved scale 30 marked off to indicate minutes of parking time.

On the opposite side of the casing and inserted in the groove i immediately behind transparent cylinder I 6 is a similar time scale 3| which faces the sidewalk. Oscillatably mounted interiorly of the upper part of the casing is a movable time indicator 32 comprising a horizontal disk with a depending cylindrical skirt 33, the exterior of which is unifonnly colored, for example, white, save for the opposed staggered areas 34 and 35 which are contrastingly colored, as in red, and extend about the circumference of the skirt 33-through an are which is somewhat longer than the graduated scales on members and 3|. The vertical junction line at the righthand edge of each of the areas 34 and 35 may be further ornamented or marked with an arrow, such as 35, so disposed thereon as to point to the graduations on scales 30 and 3|, respectively, as these arrows are moved during rotary movement of skirt 33 by the mechanism in a manner hereinafter fully explained.

As shown in Fig. 1, the colored indicator section 35 which cooperates with the street side of the meter is desirably made somewhat larger to afford greater visibility and to enable the approximate condition of the meter to be read at a glance from a distance. In order to conceal a portion of the non-cooperating signal areas 34 and 35 arcuate instruction panels 31 and 38 are disposed opposite scales 3i and 30, respectively.

For operating and controlling the movement of the signal-carrying skirt 33 automatically and to afford the parking control hereinbefore mentioned, the following described mechanism is employed. This mechanism is disposed principally within and below the movable indicator of Fig. 6 which it supports and controls. The disk 32 of the movable indicator has an arcuate slot 39 through which the coin tube of the automatic mechanism projects into communicating relationship with the exterior coin slot 40 in the casing cap 22.

The mechanism is constructed as a removable unit seated within the housing and comprises a'rear plate 4|, an intermediate plate 42 and a front plate 43, the plates 4! and 42 being secured in spaced relation by spacers 44 between which are mounted the power spring assembly 45 and a gear train driven thereby through pinion 46, gear 41 and pinion 4B which drives bevel pinion 49 disposed on the outer face of plate 42. The remainder of the gear train is indicated generally at 50 and includes an associated escapement for regulating the speed at which bevel pinion 49 is driven through said power spring and its gear train. A plate 5i is mounted in spaced relation to the rear plate 4! and it supports a winding arbor 52 for the power mechanism which operates after the fashion of the clock winding mechanism of an alarm clock 53 to permit winding of the power spring mechanism 45 without imparting rotation to the gear 54. In other words a ratchet wheel 53 is fixed on arbor 52, while gear 54 is rotatable on said arbor. Pawls 530 are pivoted on gear 54 and ride over the ratchet wheel 53 when the arbor is turned to wind the power spring, but when the wheel 53 is turned by the spring drive of the arbor in a reverse direction, the pawls 53!] engage with the wheel and turn the gear 54. An angular socket member 55 is fixed on the end of angular winding arbor 52 and presses against a perforate felt or fabric washer 55 which is interposed between the member 55 and the inner face of the casing ID. The casing l0 has a perforation 51 therein permitting insertion of a winding key through the easing into said winding socket for loading the power spring mechanism 45. The gear 54 meshes with a pinion 58 secured on a shaft 59 which passes through plates 4| and 42 and carries a gear 60 on its opposite end adjacent plate 42. Gear 60 meshes with pinion 6| (see Fig. 4) which is fixed with cam 62 and said cam has fixedthereto a gear 63 which meshes with pinion 64 of a speed governor indicated generally at 55.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that power may be taken from the power spring mechanism 45 to drive the bevel pinion 49 and the cam 62. As will be hereinafter more fully explained, the function of cam 62 is to dlsconnect the time indicating means from bevel pinion 49 during the automatic resetting of the time indicating means by its own independent power means.

To this end I.have provided as a fixed or integral part of cam 62 a disk 66 which has a pair of diametrically opposed edge notches 61, one of which receives a freely swinging lug 68 at the end of each half revolution of the cam in order to stop the cam. The lug G8 is pivoted at 69 on the outside of a channel-shaped member 10 that is secured on the inner face of plate 43 and forms, with said plate, a vertical coinway indicated generally at H and which tenninates at its lower end alongside the top of disk 66. As an-extension on the face of disk 66 and immediately below the hollow interior of the coinway H is an extension 12 which is arcuately cut away at its opposite sides to form coin pockets [3 (see Fig. 5), either of which is automatieally aligned with the open bottom of coinway Ii when lug 68 arrests the disk 66.

The lug 68 has an offset extension 14 which is normally disposed in the path of a coin traveling through coinway H, and, in passing, the coin engages extension 14 and swings lug 68 out of notch 67 and then drops into the coin pocket 13. The rotation of cam 62 and all of the associated parts carries the coin which has dropped into the uppermost pocket 13 through /2 rotation, whereupon lug 68 drops into the next notch 67 and arrests the cam and associated parts with the pocket, which carried the coin remaining in an inverted position. The coin was therefore dropped part way out of the inverted pocket and precluded from escape by the lateral arcuate flange 15 on the lower portion of plate 43. A coin discharge tube 16 is formed as a continuation or an attached part of plate 43, the same being curved or turned inwardly to substantially the center of the bottom of casing H] where a suitable coin receptacle may be provided to receive the same. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5,

it will be noted that cam 82 has abrupt shoulders 11 with gradually rising eccentric faces extending from the bottom of one shoulder to the top of the other forming cam surfaces upon which a vertically reciprocable shaft 18 may rest and be vertically lifted and then dropped. Bevel pinion 19 is fixed on shaft 18 and meshes with bevel pinion 49 when shaft 18 is in its lowermost position, for example, as shown in Fig. 4. During the rotation of cam 82 through /2 revolution the shaft is lifted endwise and carries pinion 19 out of mesh with pinion 49 and the power drive from pinion 49 through the shaft 18 is broken. When the bottom of shaft 18 drops over the abrupt shoulder 11 of cam 62, the drive connection between pinion 49 and pinion 19 is reestablished.

On the face of disk 86 adjacent the cam 82 are opposed series of short face teeth 88 and a single opposed long tooth 8|. These are arranged to engage a pinion 82 mounted on a tube shaft 83, which is free to rotate and reciprocate on shaft 18.

Pivotally supported on plate 43 is an arm 84 which normally rides on the periphery of disk 86 and fixed on the side of arm 84 and movable about the same pivot is an arm 85. The arm 85 is pivoted to a reciprocably mounted strip 86 by means of a pin 81 which is extended to selectively ride in cam grooves 88 or upon the outer surface 89 of the walls 898 of the cam groove, the walls 898 being arcuate strips secured on the face of disc 86. It will be noted that the grooves 88 dip towards the radial center of disc 88 at a point 98 intermediate the ends of the grooves 88. It will be further noted (see Fig. that disc 86 has peripheral arcuate notches 9| which permit arm 84 to follow as a unit with the movement of arm 85 as the pin 81 is moved downward during the movement of the cam disc assembly. A yoke 92 fixed to strip 88 engages beneath a shoulder 93 on the tube shaft 83. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the pinion 82 and the tube shaft 83 carrying the same partake of the movement which is imparted to arm 81 follows through cam grooves outer surface 89 on disc 88.

As will be readily appreciated by an inspection of Figs. 4 and 5, the pinion 82 is normally disposed at a relatively low level when pin 81 rides through cam groove 88, and therefore when the cam disc assembly is moved through revolution only the long or extended tooth 8| will engage one tooth of pinion 82 and rotate the tube shaft 83 one tooth.

On the upper end of 85 accordingly as pin 88 or follows the tube shaft 83 is a pinion 94 which meshes with a relatively wide idler pinion 95 which in turn meshes with the pinion 98 on a counter-mechanism 81.

From the foregoing it will txe seen that when a penny is dropped through the coinway 1I it strikes the extension 14 on lug 88 and disengages the lug from notch 81 thus allowing the stored power of spring mechanism 45 to drive through gear 54, pinion 58 which turns shaft 59 and gear 88 which in turn drives the cam disk assembly 82-68 by turning the pinion 8|. The penny drops into pocket 13 and is carried around by said pocket without interference by the arm 84. The lug 68 rides v on the outside of disk 86 until it again engages in the succeeding notch 81 and stops the power drive of the cam disk assembly 82--86 with the cam 82 at rest as shown in Fig. 4 and with the shaft 18 resting on the low part of said cam. The parts always assume this same position at the end of a half revolution of disc 88 as can be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 5. During this movement the tube shaft and its related pinion train were moved only one tooth, thereby causing the counter 91 to register one penny. The vertical reciprocation of strip 88 during this movement served to permit the automatic indicating mechanism to be moved for a distance equivalent to twelve minutes of parking time by the means which will hereinafter be more fully described.

When a nickel is dropped through the coinway 1| it likewise displaces lug 68 and, upon dropping into the pocket 13 and being carried thereby against arm 84, the nickel, by reason of its greater diameter, lifts arm 84, and therefore arm 85, so that the pin 81 rides on the outer arcuate surface 89. This constitutes a lifting action which also lifts the tube shaft and its pinion 82 so that the pinion is engaged by the long tooth 8| and also by the four succeeding short teeth 88, thereby causing the counter 91 to register five cents. This movement also effects a distinctive movement to strip 88 which permits the automatic resetting of the indicator to the equivalent of one hour. It will be remembered that during the revolution of the cam disk assembly 8288 following the deposit of either the penny or the nickel, the cam 82 also turned through revolution and thus disengaged pinions 49 and 19, thus cutting ofi the power drive between the power spring 45 and pinion 49 from the indicator mechanism.

The movable indicator comprising the disk 32 and its depending skirt or indicating cylinder 33 has at its top a. hub 98 with a set screw 99 whereby said movable indicator is fixed to the vertical sleeve I88 that is integral with a gear I8I mounted for free rotation on a vertical stud shaft I82 fixed in the top plate I03 which extends horizontally across and is suitably secured to plates 4| and 42 and which also has attached to it, by means of screws 438 entering downturned flanges 43I, the plate 43 carrying the channel member 18. Gear i8I is supported in spaced parallel relation above top plate I83 and the sleeve I88 thereof has an enlargement or barrel I84 to which there is secured one end of a coil spring I85. Spring I85 is coiled about the barrel I84 and has its opposite end secured to a stud I88 which is fixed in plate I83.

The spring I85 is so wound as to tend to turn gear I8I and the movable indicator attached thereto in a clockwise manner as viewed from the top (see Fig. 3). As viewed from the exterior of the meter in its operative position (see Fig. l). the spring-I85, which is the indicator resetting spring, tends to rotate the skirt 33 from right to left, thus causing the vertical edge of the panel 35 which is designated by the arrow 38 to move away from zero on the fixed scale 38 to the highest graduation on the scale. 1

The gear IN is in constant mesh with a rela tively wide pinion I81 which is fixed on the top end of shaft 18. When power is transmitted from the power spring assembly 45, through bevel pinion 49 to bevel pinion 19, the rotation of shaft 18 causes pinion I81 to drive gear IM and rotate said gear and its associated parts in a direction such that the resetting spring I85 is wound on barrel I84 and the skirt 33 of the moving indicator is turned from left to right, thus moving area 35 and arrow 38 along graduated scale 38 towards and beyond zero in accordance with the passage of time.

As hereinbefore explained, when the shaft 18 is raised vertically by cam 62 following the deposit of a coin, pinion 19 is raised with it and out of mesh with pinion 49, thus allowing the moving indicator and parts associated with gear IOI to be turned under the influence of resetting spring I05.

The hereinafter described mechanism serves to control the extent of resetting movement of the movable indicator proportionately with the denomination of the coin deposited in the meter. A resetting rack bar I08 is fixed concentrically below the level of gear IOI upon a pair of diametrically opposed arms I09 which are secured on the lower face of said gear as at IIO. Rack bar I08 extends through somewhat more than /2 of a complete circumference and terminates in a finger I I I. The rack bar I08 has a series of five teeth I I2 along its lower edge, and along its upper edge a corresponding and slightly ofiset series of teeth H3. The lower teeth IIZ are adapted to be engaged by the transversely turned end II4 of a counterweighted lever arm H5 which is pivoted at I I6 on the front member II of the coinway. The teeth II 3. are adapted to be engaged by the transversely turned end II'I formed on the top of strip 86 which lies adjacent the path of said resetting rack bar. The members H4 and II! constitute stop pawls which cooperate with the resetting rack and they are actuated, as hereinafter further described, by the movement of the reciprocating strip 88 according to the movement of pin 81 in the arm 85 through groove 88 or over the cam surface 89. It is to be noted further that the strip 86 has an integral lug H8 which overhangs the pivoted counterweighted arm II5 on one side of the pivotal mounting and said strip 88 also has an integral lug II9 which is disposed below the enlarged counterweight end I of the arm I I5. The operation of this mechanism to control the automatic resetting in proportion to the deposited coin is as follows:

It is to be understood that the meter, as herein disclosed, is designed to afford a maximum of one hour parking time during a complete unitary cycle of operation, and in addition thereto a predetermined overtime period of ten minutes. It will be assumed that the edge of panel and the arrow 36 have moved beyond zero to indicate that the overtime or grace period has expired and that the mechanism has been brought to rest by reason of the finger III having contacted and moved the end of stop lever I2I against the resistance of light spring I22. The stop lever I2I w ll then have assumed a position contacting the rim of balance wheel I23 01 the time escapement 50 and stopped the power drive, bringing all of the mechanism to rest. A motorist desiring to use the parking berth designated for control by the meter will know or learn from the instruction panels 31 or 38 that he may drop one penny to cause the meter to automatically reset for a twelve minute parking period and forthwith start to operate. The motorist will likewise know or be apprised of the fact that he may forthwith drop successive pennies and cause the meter to automatically reset for parking periods which are multiples of twelve minutes for each penny deposited up to a maximum of one hour for five pennies. In lieu of depositing five pennies, the motorist may deposit a five cent piece.

Upon deposit of the first coin, the lever 68 will be released allowing the cam disk (if-68 to be released for driving operation through power spring mechanism 45, gear 54, pinion 58, gear 60 and pinion SI. If the coin is a penny, said coin will be deposited in the uppermost pocket I3 and will be carried around (clockwise as viewed from Fig. 5) and the pin 81 will ride through groove 88 without shifting vertical strip 86 until the pin reaches the depression or dip 90, whereuponstrip 86 will be pulled down momentarily causing lug II8 to tip lever H5 and remove the end pawl I I4 thereof from the abrupt shoulder of the first of the teeth H2. The same movement also lowers lug II 9 to permit the aforesaid movement of lever H5 and it furthermore lowers the pawl II! to prevent the first of the upper teeth II3 from passing beyond stop pawl H1 while the lower stop pawl II 4 is mechanically lowered. During the same portion of the half revolution of the cam disk 62-456, the shaft I8 will rise on the cam 62 and disengage pinion I9 from pinion 49 and will thus allow the heretofore restrained spring I05 to rotate gear 1 II, the resetting rack bar, and the movable in dicator. As soon as the pin 81 assumes the normal level of cam groove 88, the strip 86 and its stop pawl II! are likewise raised and the lower stop pawl II4 automatically engages the abrupt shoulder of the second of the teeth II2. It is to be noted that the teeth II3 with the stop pawl II1 serve to effect an intermediate dwell or stop in the movement of rack bar I08 to assure proper operation of stop pawl I I4 on the lower teeth H2. Upon completion of the full half revolution of disk 62-56. said disk is brought to rest by engagement of lug 68 in the notch 61 and the shaft 18 drops over the abrupt shoulder I1 of cam 52, thus bringing pinion 19 thereof again in mesh with pinion 49. As the finger III of the resetting rack bar moved away from lever I 2|, the spring I22 shifted the lever and imparted an initial movement to the balance wheel I23 of the escapement mechanism.

The amount of rotational adjustment of the skirt 33, thus effected, carried the arrow 36 to a position indicating twelve minutes of running time for the meter. If but a single penny is deposited, as aforedescribed, the normal operation of the power spring mechanism 45 under the control of the time escapement 50 will now cause the movable indicator to move, in accordance with the passage of time, back to zero during twelve minutes and will continue to move beyond zero for a period of ten minutes longer, whereupon the meter will stop.

If, in lieu of the deposit of a single penny, a plurality of pennies be deposited, the cam disk 6266 will complete a series of half revolutions equal to the number of pennies deposited and the pawls H4 and II! will repeat their cycles of operation upon the succeeding teeth H2 and H3, respectively, so that the motorist may attain an initial automatic resetting of 12, 24, 36, 48 minutes or one hour, according to the number of pennies deposited. Likewise, at any time prior to the return of the indicator under the time mechanism, additional coins may be inserted and the proportionate extension of parking time may be had thereby.

If a five cent piece is deposited in the coinway, the operation of the mechanism will be as follows. The five cent piece or nickel will release lug 68 permitting the rotation of cam 52-65 and the coin will engage the arm 84 as said coin was carried around, thereby lifting arm 85 and I28 (see Figs. 3 and '7).

pin 81 high enough to rest upon the outer cam face 89. In doing so, the initial raising movement will push upwardly on counterweight I20 and swing lever II5 so that the stop pawl Ilt is clear of the lower teeth I I2. A raising movement elevates stop pawl II1 above the upper teeth II3, thus allowing the resetting rack bar, gear IDI, and movable indicator free and uninterrupted movement under the power of the separate automatic resetting spring I05. The arrow 36 on the panel 35 will thus be carried around into registry with the index number 60 (not shown) on the scale 30. It will be appreciated that the leading edge and arrow (not shown) on the panel 34 likewise move in unison as the skirt is rotated. Motorists, pedestrians or a traific ofiicer may thus note, on casual inspection, the amount of unexpired parking time by noting the relative amount of the fixed scale which has not been traversed by the distinctively colored red panels 34 and 35. The operation, as hereinbefore described, represents the normal daytime parking or parking during business hours wherein a maximum of one hour parking may be imposed. The means and manner of effecting a change in the operation of the same meter in order to provide for the prepayment of parking periods of more than one hour will now be described. It is to be understood that the socalled evening or theater parking periods involve the automatic repetition of the maximum cycle of operation of the meter in exchange for a plurality of initially deposited coins. The meter will thus permit a motorist desiring to park for three or four hours in the evening to deposit-a corresponding number of five cent pieces, whereupon the meter will automatically reset for one hour, will operate during that hour and without registering any overtime at the expiration of the first hour automatically reset for a second hour and so on until all of the initially deposited coins have been used. At the expiration of the last of the prepaid parking hours, the meter will continue to operate during ten minutes of overtime and thus render the motorist subject to citation for overtime parking only after the completion of the final prepaid hour of parking. The selective mechanism enabling the so-called business hour and theater parking is readily conditioned by the duly authorized traflic officer who uses a specially designed instrument which may be inserted through the exterior of the coin slot. The converting mechanism is as follows:

It was previously explained, and as can be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6 and '1, that the arcuate slot 39 in the disk top 32 of the movable indicator has the coinway structure 1| extending upwardly therethrough. Above. the top of the indicator the coinway is developed into an angularly inclined J-shaped chute portion I24 into which the coins deposited in slot 40 in the cap may drop. On the higher wall I25 of the chute I24 is a loosely pivoted converting lever I26 which carries a segment plate I21 pivoted loosely thereto on an extended stud Pins I29 and I30 project through the corners of segment I21. These pins project across the edge of the coinway struc ture H which has arcuate slots I3I and I32 into which the respective pins may enter depending upon the inclination of converting lever I26.

In Fig. '1 these parts are shown in full and dotted lines illustrative oi. movement imparted to the elements in operation. A light spring I33 is connected to a bracket I34 on the coinway structure 1| and is also connected to the converting lever I26.

On the inner face of the skirt 33 is securely fixed an inclined cam I35 which is so positioned on the inner circumference of said skirt as to enable it to contact the extended lower pin I29 in the segment plate I21 thereby rocking the segment plate on its pivot stud I28. Upon further rotational movement in the same direction an upper extension I36 on cam I35 contacts the extended stud I28 so that further movement of skirt 33 will rock the converting lever I26 on its pivotal mounting I260 against the resistance of light spring I33. The position of these parts is such that an appreciable degree of tipping of the segment plate I21 is effected just as the indicating arrow 36 on the movable indicator skirt 33 reaches zero on the fixed scale 30 and the further movement of the parts, including the rocking of converting lever I26 is provided solely for the purpose of permitting the slow rotation of the moving indicator skirt to continue for a full ten minutes, thus moving the indicator arrow 36 and the colored signal area 35 to accurately indicate the passage of time after the zero or expiration index on the fixed scale.

When the meter is arranged for the so-called routine business parking during the daytime a latch I31 pivoted at I310 on the higher wall I25 of the coin chute is pushed down to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which position the converting lever is pushed aside far enough against the resistance of spring I33 to assure that pins I29 and I30 cannot enter the notches I32 or I3I sufficiently to obstruct passage of a coin deposited in the meter. Under this condition of the mechanism any deposited coin will pass directly and entirely through the coinway 'II and unseat the stop lug 68, as heretofore explained, and effect its prorata degree of resetting of the moving indicator skirt. If subsequent coins are deposited they will cause repetition of the same movements, always momentarily resulting in the lifting of bevel pinion 19 from pinion 49 regardless of whether pinion 49 is moving under the influence oi the time gear train or not.

When it is desired to quickly modify the operation of the meter at a given time at the close of business hours, the latch I31 is raised thus sub- Jecting the converting lever and its associated segment plate and pins to the action of spring I33. At this time the segment plate gravitates on its pivot at I28 so that pin I29 extends into the lower slot I3I of coinway 1I sufliciently to arrest the larger coin or five cent piece at that point in the coinway. It will be readily appreciated that with the latch I31 in the'position shown in Fig. 7 and the converting lever I26 and segment plate I21 held in the position shown in full lines by reason of the engagement of the inclined cam I35 thereon, either a penny or a five cent piece may be dropped directly through the coinway to initiate the movements resulting in the resetting of the indicating skirt and the consequent removal of the inclined cam I35. The converting lever- I26 will thus be drawn in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 and the segmental plate I21,

being no longer supported by the inclined cam, will gravitate and enter the pin I29 in the bottom arcuate slot I3I and arrest a five cent piece which may be subsequently deposited. At this time, however, another penny, deposited in lieu of a five cent piece will pass directly through the coinway because of the smaller diameter of the coin. Thus it will be seen that a plurality of five 33 returns the indicator 36 to zero position the inclined cam I35 will now engage the outer extension of pin I29 and rock the segmental plate I2I on its pivotal mounting, carrying the pin I29 out of its notch and out of supporting relation with the lowermost coin while the pin I30 will be moved into the upper slot I32 to arrest all coins above the lowermost. Thus the lowermost coin is dropped and the inclined cam immediately recedes under the influence of the resetting operation, thus allowing the segmental plate I2I to gravitationally rock upon its axis and allow the lower pin I29 to enter slot I3I in time to arrest the coin which had been supported by pin I30 in the previous instant. It will be noted that the release of the coin took place immediately as the indicating arrow 36 reached zero on scale 30 so that no overtime operation of the meter took place during the automatic resetting operation. Thus for evening or theater parking the meter renders a full hour of operation in exchange for each of the five cent pieces which are deposited at one time or before the last five cent piece has been released. After the final five cent piece has been released and the movable indicating skirt 33 returns to zero under the influence of the time gear train, the time drive of said skirt continues during a ten minute overtime interval thus rendering the motorist liable for citation for overtime parking.

It should be further noted that while the meter is thus convertible to afford the courtesy and convenience of the extended or theater" parking, it does not preclude the proper use of the meter by the deposit of one or more pennies in order to secure a short period of parking. In order to convert the automatic meter from one course of operation to the other, the latch I 31 has a slightly offset latch finger I38 which slightly overhangs the open top of chute I23. The supervising trafflc ofilcer is provided with a converting tool consisting of an elongated strip of metal having a 90 twist therein intermediate its ends so that the same may be entered in the outer coin slot 40 and pushed into the interior of the casing while turning the strip with the hand thus disposing the end of the metal which is interiorly of the casing in a relatively horizontal position whereby the finger I38 may be engaged from above or below as required in order to move the latch I31 from the position shown in Fig. to that shown in Fig. '7 or reverse. This is performed with rapidity and great facility with the properly twisted too] although the manipulation of the latch presents considerable difiiculty to the unauthorized and uninformed stranger to the task who might attempt to duplicate the converting operation with a wire or a straight fiat strip.

The unitary meter mechanism hereinbefore described is mounted for ready insertion into or removal from the casing I0 when the dome or cap 22 is removed by providing on plate 61 a pair of opposed ears I 39 which project into grooves I40 on the inside of the casing when the meter mechanism is lowered into said casing. The

fixed stud I02 in the top of the mechanism and about which the indicator turns is received in a suitable bore in the bottom of boss 20 on crossbar I9. This provides a three-point support for the mechanism and, when cap 22 is secured in position, the mechanism is rigidly supported.

As hereinbefore indicated, the bottom door I2 affords access to the interior of the housing I0 beneath the mechanism. The receptacle (not shown) for coins which are discharged from the terminal end of coin tube I6 is accessible for removal through the door I2. The key controlled lock I4I on the door I2 has an arm I42 which may be moved through from a substantially horizontal position to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the vertical end of said arm rides behind a keeper I43 which may be formed as a cross-bar with its ends I 44 turned and secured to the inside of the housing wall, for example, by spot-welding,

In summarizing the operation of the meter of the present invention, let it be assumed that the mechanism is at rest. At this time the coil spring I05, which is an independent auxiliary power means, is fully loaded but is unable to efiect resetting movement of the indicator skirt 33 because the stop pawl H4 is in engagement with the first tooth II2 on the resetting rack bar I08. At this time the time gear train is stopped because lever I2I is held by the extended finger.

III of rack I08 to arrest the balance wheel I23 01 the escapement of said time gear train. The shaft I8 is likewise resting upon the lower portion of cam 62 and the time gear train is thus still engaged with the gear IIII of the movable indicator. The lug 68 effectively holds disk 66 against rotation by the main power spring assembly 05. The indicator skirt 33 is at this time in a position indicating vacancy or violation, 1. e., the indicator arrow 36 is beyond the zero of scale 30 and the red signal area 35 extends throughout the length of the scale 30. When the indicator skirt 33 is in this position, the inclined cam I35 inside said indicator skirt'is holding the lever I26 and plate I21 in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7 regardless of whether latch I31 is in a raised or a lowered position.

When a motorist desires to reset the meter when parking in a berth controlled thereby, the selected coin is inserted in the coin slot 40 and drops entirely through coinway II, tripping lug 68 and allowing the cam disk assembly 62-66 to rotate through a half revolution under the influence of power spring 45, gear 54, shaft 59 and gear 60. This rotational movement raises the shaft 18 and disconnects the time gear train by lifting the bevel pinion I9 away from bevel pinion 49. Stop pawls II 4 and Ill are manipulated by the operation of strip 86 and the movable indicator is freed to move in a resetting direction under the power of the auxiliary power spring I05. The movement of the indicator carries with it the resetting rack bar I08 which releases lever I2I and starts the balance wheel of the time gear train so that the latter is then driven by the main power spring assembly 45. Upon completion of the half revolution of the cam disk assembly 62-66 the resetting move ment of the indicator under the influence of spring I05 is arrested by the re-engagement of pawls lid-I I1 and the shaft I8 is again dropped re-establishing driving connection between the time gear train and the indicator. Thereafter, the indicator is driven, in accordance with the passage of time, back towards zero, the stop pawls riding over the gradually inclined faces of the teeth on the resetting rack bar as the indicator returns to zero and therebeyond when the finger III on said resetting rack bar moves lever Hi to stop the escapement of the time gear train. The automatic selection of the extent of the resetting in accordance with the number and denomination of deposited coins will be well understood from the explanation given concurrently with the description of parts. The change or conversion of the operation of the automatic meter from the regulation daytime parking to evening or theater parking operation will likewise be clearly understood to require the mere turning of latch I31 to a substantially horizontal position.v

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic parking meter comprising a time scale and a relatively movable indicator, a power means including a time gear train normally in driving connection with said indicator for moving the indicator in accordance with the passage of time, coin controlled means driven by said power means for cyclically diconnecting and reconnecting said time gear train and said indicator, independent yieldable power means for resetting the indicator when the gear train is disconnected therefrom, and means operable with the coin controlled means for selectively regulating the extent of resetting movement of the indicator in accordance with the deposit of selected different coins said means comprising a resetting rack movable with the indicator, a counterweighted lever movable to engage and disengage said rack, a vertically reciprocable strip arranged at its top to engage and disengage said rack, and intermediate its ends adapted to move said lever out of engagement withsaid rack, and a pin on said strip adapted to lifting by a coin of a given diameter passing beneath it and passing a coin of lesser diameter without lifting said strip.

2. An automatic parking meter comprising a time scale and a relatively movable indicator, a power means including a time gear train normally in driving connection with said indicator for moving the indicator in accordance with the passage of time, coin controlled means driven by said power means for cyclically disconnecting and reconnecting said time gear train and said indicator, independent yieldable power means for resetting the indicator when the gear train is disconnected therefrom, a coinway structure to direct deposited coins to the coin controlled means, means disposed between said indicator and said coinway for holding a plurality of coins in said way and actuatable to release said coins singly to actuate the coin controlled means and a member fixed on the indicator for actuating said coin holding means upon predetermined movement of said indicator. 3. An automatic parking meter comprising a movable indicator, a, resetting rack bar movable therewith, stop pawl means cooperating with said rack bar to preclude movement of the rack bar in one direction, a yieldable power means urging said rack bar and indicator in the said direction, a second power means, a time gear train connected therewith, a shiftable connecting member effecting a disconnectable driving connection between the indicator and the gear train whereby the indicator may be driven from the time gear train against the resistance of the yieldable power means, and coin released means driven by said second power means for disconnecting the shiftable connecting member from the gear train and disengaging the stop pawl means from the rack bar.

4. In an automatic parking meter the combination of a casing, a coin chute member extending into said casing, a cam disc member comprising pocket members to receive coins from said chute, a main power means operative on said disc to carry coins in the pockets away from said chute, a time indicator driven by said power means in one direction in accordance with the passage of time, a resetting rack bar connected with the indicator, a yieldable independent power means urging said indicator and said rack bar in the opposite direction, stop pawl means controlling movement of the rack bar and indicator in the last mentioned direction, means for holding the cam disc against movement by the power means and releasable by passage of a coin from said chute into a pocket in the cam disc, means for retaining a plurality of coins in the coin chute, means on the indicator to engage said retaining means for releasing the lowermost of the retained coins whereby the cam disc is released for movement by said main power means, and means operable by the cam disc for releasing the stop pawl from the resetting bar for automatically resetting said meter as said coins'are carried away by the moving disc.

5. In an automatic parking meter the combination of a coin chute to direct coins of predetermined difierent diameters and values through a common path, a rotary cam disc having peripheral coin pockets registerable with said chute,

power means to drive said disc, a holding lug for arresting the-cam disc with a pocket in-registry with said chute and displaceable by a, coin entering a pocket from the chute, a bell crank lever overhanging the path of the coin pockets, and adapted to be lifted by a coin of predetermined large diameter as the latter is carried beneath said lever by the disc, said large coin representing in money value a multiple of money value units while the small coin represents one of the same money value units, a cam shoulder on the disc for retaining the lever in said lifted position during predetermined rotation of the cam disc, a series of radial face teeth on said disc, equal in number to the number of money units of said coin of larger predetermined value, one of said teeth being radially elongated, a rotatably supported gear adapted to be lifted by the bell crank lever and meshing with said entire series of teeth when the bell crank lever is lifted for support by said cam shoulder, a second cam shoulder concentric with said first cam shoulder and engaging the bell crank lever as the cam disc carries a coin of predetermined small diameter, said second cam shoulder imparting distinctive movement to the bell crank lever whereby said gear meshes with said one elongated tooth only, a counter constantly engaged for movement by said gear whereby the monetary units total of deposited coins is registered, a resetting rack bar for the meter, means yieldably urging said bar in a resetting direction and means movable with the bell crank lever for influencing the rack bar to predetermined different amounts of resetting movement as said bell crank is influenced by said different coins and said concentric cam shoulders.

6. In a device of the class described a coin chute having a pair of vertically spaced edge slots, a lever pivoted exteriorly of said chute, a plate pivoted to the lever and having pins therein, means for holding the lever in a position such that the lower pin will enter the lower slot in the chute and support coins in said chute, means to ing out of the slot for releasing said lowermost coin, power mechanism actuated by the release of the coin serving to remove the plate rocking means from said plate and permitting the plate to again rock gravitationally on its pivot to initial position whereby the succeeding coin is arrested in the lowermost position i 7. In a device of the class described a coin chute having a pair of vertically spaced edge slots, a lever pivoted exteriorly of said chute, a plate pivoted to the lever and having pins therein, means for holding the lever in a position such that the lower pin will enter the lower slot in the chute and support coins in said chute, means to rock the plate whereby the upper pin enters the chute above the lowermost coin to support a coin next above, said lower pin simultaneously moving out of the slot for releasing said lowermost coin, power mechanism actuated by the release of the coin serving to remove the plate rocking means from the plate and permitting the plate to again rock gravitationally on its pivot to initial position whereby the succeeding coin is arrested in the lowermost position, and selectively positionable means for holding said lever and plate out of cooperative relation with said chute.

8. In an automatic parking meter, the combination of a rotatable cam disc having coin pockets, a coin chute adapted to receive coins of predetermined difierent diameters and move them through a common path, means to deposit successive coins into successive pockets, a pivoted bell crank lever adjacent said disc and rockable in one direction by passage of a coin of larger diameter, shoulders on the disc selectively engaging and influencing movement of the bell crank lever as the latter is influenced by coins in the pockets of said rotatable disc, an indicator, a resetting rack bar movable therewith, a yieldable power means urging said indicator and rack bar in one direction, two separate series of teeth on the rack bar in relatively staggered relation, a shiitable strip movable by said bell crank lever, a stop pawl on said strip cooperating with the first series of said teeth, a pivoted pawl cooperating with said sec- 0nd series of teeth and means on said strip to actuate said pivoted pawl whereby said pawls are selectively influenced to release a single tooth and the entire series of teeth respectively as the bell crank lever is aiTected by the passage of coins of small and large diameters respectively.

9. In an automatic parking meter the combination of a coin chute to receive coins of selected difierent diameters and direct; them through a common path, a rotatable disk member having pockets to receive coins from said chute, power means to rotate the disk member, a latch for arresting the disk member for the reception of a coin in a pocket thereof, said latch releasable from the disk by passage of a coin into a pocket thereof whereby the disk is rotatable by said power means for discharging the coin from the pocket, a meter resetting rack bar unit, a gear train connecting the same with said power means whereby said unit is driven in one direction in accordance with the passage of time, independent power means yieldably urging said unit in the opposite direction, shiftable control means for the gear train and the rack bar unit including a strip having a stop pawl normally engaged on and restraining the rack bar unit against movement by said independent power means, whereby the rack bar unit is disconnected from driving relation with the first mentioned power means and released for movement by the independent power means, and a plurality of shoulders on the disk selectively engageable by the shiftable control' means as the latter is influenced by coins of different diameter in the disk pockets whereby said control means permits said independent power means to move the rack bar unit predetermined different distances.

FRANK L. MlCHAELS. 

